Chapter 198

She touched him for the first time. Only then did she realize that Xia Yan was carrying food and snacks, clearly he had just returned from the market, not on patrol waiting for her... "I... I'm fine..." "My stomach just feels really uncomfortable... like something is pricking me with needles..." Xia Yan said, each word distinct, a few beads of cold sweat forming on his nose. "Can you still walk? I... I... I'll call 120..." "I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened just now, ah! Anyway, I'll take you home first, um... do you have any medicine at home?" Hua Xin quickly asked, holding her phone in one hand and supporting Xia Yan the other, clearly frightened by his appearance and believing him. After all, given Xia Yan's previous sudden fainting spell, it was hard for the girl not to overthink things. "It's nothing, it's just an old ailment of mine. I'll take some medicine when I get home..." Xia Yan said, struggling to his feet as if trying to prove he was alright, but his legs gave way beneath him... "Then I'll take you home now, hang in there!" Hua Xin gritted her teeth, forgetting all about rules and status, and wrapped her arm around Xia Yan's neck, supporting him as they walked into the residential area. The two were very close, Xia Yan even leaning against the girl. That faint, familiar scent wafted into his mind, and Xia Yan subtly adjusted the plastic bag in his hand. He almost dropped it. Hua Xin, unusually, carried Xia Yan on her back, but if she had just turned her head slightly and seen the bright eyes hidden behind Xia Yan's lowered head, she would have instantly understood what was going on. But her friend's concern dispelled her doubts, and she eagerly followed her memory towards Xia Yan's home. "I'm sorry..." Xia Yan thought to himself, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up. It's normal to suddenly get an illness that only lasts ten minutes and gets better as soon as you get home, right? "Where's the medicine!" "Lie down for a while. By the way, where's your medicine cabinet?" Even though it was her first time at Xia Yan's house, she hadn't followed the online guides she'd searched for. "I'll find it myself." "Hot water... right, where's the hot water? Where's the kettle?" "In the kitchen..." Xia Yan was almost laughing from the discomfort, but he still had to pretend to be weak, lying on the sofa and speaking in a low, intermittent voice. Although the girl looked flustered, her concern was undeniable. At this moment, Xia Yan finally felt relieved. Now, he perhaps understood why there was that inexplicable distance and ambivalence between him and the girl. Because reality and the internet are ultimately different. The girl struggled to carry Xia Yan from the apartment complex all the way home. Fortunately, Xia Yan didn't overdo it by putting all his weight on her; he carefully controlled his weight. After opening the door, Hua Xin placed the heavy Xia Yan, who looked like an extra-long, oversized version of Chun Qiu, on the sofa. Given that he was still in so much pain that he couldn't even speak, the girl had no reason to doubt that Xia Yan was faking it. Could it be that he really had some chronic stomach problem? Thinking about it carefully, it wasn't impossible. After all, since she met Xia Yan, he had always drunk mineral water or tea, rarely ate spicy food, and his appetite was much smaller than hers. So, considering all of the above, the probability of him having a stomach problem was indeed high... But could she really cause it with a single punch? She knew her own strength all too well, but given Xia Yan's previous collapse at the barbecue restaurant, the girl had already equated Xia Yan's physical condition with her own. "Hot water, hot water, hot water..." "Found it!" Xia Yan's kitchen was noticeably larger than Hua Xin's, and it was fully equipped with all the necessary cooking utensils, pots, and pans. Despite the abundance of items, it was exceptionally tidy, a stark contrast to the row of Thirteen Spices on the stove in the girl's kitchen. However, the girl didn't have time to observe her surroundings; she was focused solely on getting Xia Yan back to normal so she could sneak home. Hua Xin poured a glass of warm water, then took a small sip to test the temperature. Hmm, not too hot, just right. "Xia Yan... did you find the medicine?" The girl came out of the kitchen with a glass of water, looking at Xia Yan, who was still sprawled on the sofa, and asked helplessly. This reminded her of some unpleasant memories. Like the time she had to work at a cat café because the five thousand yuan she had paid for Xia Yan's medical expenses almost left her barely surviving... Xia Yan, I'm sorry, I'll cry, I'll never hit you again. "Please don't do that, please! If you do, our child... no, who will raise our Chun Qiu?!" "It seems to be in my room..." Xia Yan said weakly without looking up, still curled up in a corner of the sofa. "Your room?" "The left or the right..." The girl turned her head to look at the two rooms behind her, her eyes showing no suspicion. Having worked with Xia Fen for over a month, how could she not know that the two siblings lived together? Well, facing the extremely weak Xia Yan Hua Xin, what wariness could Hua Xin possibly have? "The right one." "On the table? On the cabinet? In the drawer?" The girl suppressed the urge to smash the water glass in her hand on his head and stomp on Xia Yan a couple of times, and asked again. Couldn't this person get to the point? If he weren't sick, she would definitely elbow him. "Hmm... it seems to be in the drawer under the table, in a white bottle." "Okay." Hua Xin turned and walked to the right, hesitating slightly before slowly pushing open the door. After all, this was her first time entering someone else's room, so she definitely had to be careful. In her mind, Xia Yan was definitely a good person, but online he was such a coward. Who knew if he had anything like... ahem... a Fiji cup? A spark of curiosity ignited in her heart, and the girl, with a hint of cunning in her eyes, walked into Xia Yan's room. Please, please don't let her catch you... please don't. Hearing the door open and the girl disappear, the pain on Xia Yan's face instantly vanished. He leaped from the sofa like a fish out of water, quickly and tiptoeing to place all the ingredients he was carrying on the dining table. Time was of the essence. He quickly took off his down jacket and rushed to the drawer under the TV, rummaging through it, a look of unprecedented seriousness appearing in his eyes. Although this wasn't exactly honorable, it was his only chance. Back at the entrance of the complex, Xia Yan had already sensed that the girl's resolve wasn't strong; even now that she was here, she was likely to back down. Xia Yan understood this thought. Even he himself hadn't expected Xin Hua to accept his invitation. It was the Lunar New Year!